Arts in the News, the 29th of July 2015
Photo cred: halle.co.uk
UK Orchestra Lets Patrons Name Their Price: The Halle Orchestra will present “Priceless Classics” in September at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, playing 10 short pieces spanning from 1700 to the present day. But the extensive and diverse program isn’t the most unique part of the performance– the orchestra is actually letting audience members pay what they like for the event. Normally priced between ten and forty pounds, pre-booked tickets are free and patrons can later pay what they think the event was worth. Chief executive John Summers explains the unorthodox move is an attempt to bring a new audience to the classical scene, and many of the normal procedures of classical performances are being abandoned for the event: “The whole point is that people don’t need to feel constrained by the normal concert etiquette.” Summers’ move may just help a whole new audience learn to appreciate classical music!
Music Taste May Not Be Arbitrary: A University of Cambridge study has found that music preferences are associated with the way you think. More analytical minds (“systemizers”) prefer “intense” music like punk, heavy metal, and hard rock; empathetic individuals (“empathizers”), on the other hand, gravitate toward “mellow” music like R&B, adult contemporary, and soft rock. The researchers, who surveyed over 4,000 individuals, hypothesize that these music preference patterns result as people seek music that reflects and reinforces their own mental states. David Greenberg, the study’s primary investigator, explains: “People’s musical choices seem to be a mirror of who they are.” While the findings may certainly help music industry businesses improve recommendation services, they also open the door to profound research opportunities. Investigating whether music therapies could be used to actually boost empathy would have profound consequences for individuals with autism and show us yet another facet of the healing power of music.
Arts Funding the UK in Jeopardy: Chancellor George Osborne recently told the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) to prepare for a budget reduction up to 40%. In the report, the Treasure outlined highest economic returns as the top priority in determining spending allocation. The proposed budget cut is the latest in a long line of cuts for funding for the arts–in 2010, Arts Council England suffered a 30% budget cut, causing grant-in-aid funding to fall by £100 million. Such dramatic cuts underscore the necessity for grass roots fundraising to underwrite the arts.
Holocaust Survivor Makes Touching Donation to Memorial: Branko Lustig, an Auschwitz survivor and Academy Award winner for his work as a producer of the iconic film Schindler’s List, presented his Oscar to Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial last week. Lustig explained, “I’m very honored, I feel this is a good [resting place] for the Oscar.” The president of Lustig’s native Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, also attended the ceremony, calling the statue a “beacon of light” and a reminder of the sacrifices made by non-Jews to save the Jews for the Nazis. Lustig’s incredible donation will be a highlight for visitors of Yad Vashem for generations to come.